Folding-machine.



R. E L E E H W S.

FOLDING MACHINE. `APPLUBATION FILED SEPT. 11. 1908.

Patented 3311.3, 1911.

3 SHEETS--BHEBT 1.

Wl w INVENTUR if/6M BY W@ ATTO EYs r S. WHEELER. FOLDING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l1. 1908.

980,878. y Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

r WITNESSES. lNVENTR ITOLDING-IYIACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 11, 1908. Serial No. 452,526.5'i`

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be ity known that I.r Sii'rii viii-zinnen. a citizen of the United States of America. and a resident oll CastletonE county of ltensselaer, State of New York, have invented certain new and nsefnl Improvements in I"`olding-MachinesT of which the following is a. specification, reference being had to the ac eompanying drawings. forming a part thereof.

My invention ielates to improvements in folding machines, and particularly to folding machines employed for the purpose of producing packages of paper composed of reversefolded three-leaved units, whose end leaves aie interfolded with the end leaves of adjacent units.

The main object of my invention is to produce and interfold such units continuously and quickly7 and to this end I have Vso designed the machine as to employ continuous rotary movement, to as great an extent as possible. such continuous rotary movement permitting very much higher speeds than is possible with any other forni of movement= as will be well understood. I produce the sections to forni the units, and I crease the said units so as to form the leaves thereof. entirely with rotary mechanism, the only oscillating parts being the folders for actually completingT the folds which have been started by the creasing mechanism, but these folder blades are themselves operated by rotary cams. the necessary timing of the movements thereof being attained b v the shaping and tiining-l of the cams and dwells therein.

In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood: I will describe an ein bodiment thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating the saine, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a top view of a foldingl machine embodying my invention. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the "same with the. parts shown` in different positions. Fig. l is a view in side elevatioii,of the machine. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view of one of the cylinders` upon a plane in line with ceilaiirretractile springs en'iployed therein. Fig. (l is a detail view showing particularly astatirniaijv cani employed in connection with cutting and creasing means carried by the cylinders.

V(.-rcasing paper which; is,

paper fed between the UNITED STATES PAFENT OFFICE imma-la Jail. a, i911..

Fig. T is a cross-seetioiitil viewi'o'f a'i'sliffhtlv inodilied forni of the nii'vaehiiieff C l rl`he machine includes.tivo'inaiii cylinders 10. ll, which are suitably AjOuiiialed'in the framework 12. These two "cyliiiiderl are arranged side by side with'{theiiperipheries in close proximity to'Teach:"otlirr thel said cylinder l0 being provitled'w' 'li diilfeist. and the cylinder 11 wi l l re'sp'idiiiY dies 14 for coaetion tlierewi't i. `,saidilcylinder 10 and 11 is providedg'betweeiiltlie cntters and the dies, with a Apair O "aflfe iinpression members laleorresponding pair of female impressfifoiimeinbe 164.? The said male and` fenialei'iniprssion 'nielnbers are arrangedin setstftxi` ilA pression member of one cylindr-beii'i'gfitted to. and co-actling with, the feiiialeiinpr'si iinieinbei' of the other cylinder.' afntitli `l are arranged alternately liatzfi's-toizs'ay, an ini pression member of. cit-lier ofi either cylinder is followed by niinpmel mem- The male impressionmembers"aiio'tlie cnt- `ters are preferably foi-ined radially movable parts, .being provlidedwitlifsprings 17 to normally force theiiis'inward with 'af yielding pressure, s0 that normally they' wilt-not extend beyond the periphery .ofthecylinders. while the femaleinien'ib'e'rs/In' y con veniently be heldirigiidly. in tliefc inders, with their faces Hush..witlnprbelow the level of, the cylinder peripheii as'fsh'o'wn. Stationary camsV 51 are elmplloyetllfto act upon the cutters l-.anlrlthefinale impression members 15' astliecyliiiders revolve, whereby to force theiii ..outward for operative co-action with tlieflcfgrrefspohd tigri-dies 14 and. female. impression#incnibe ried by the other cylind uacl'ile'e't pression members con,C itl fles Vinea-ns for iel'ioriirald b@- tween the said cylinders :1l'0"a"i,idflf1 the alternation of the sets effecting. 'ic'liffcreasing alternately in opposite.directionsh further, as 'co-acting cutters and-dies alternate with each two sets or pairsI .of impro ionmeinbers. it will follow thatniwebfornwebs of 'vliiidferswwill be creased first in one directio i .\'tlie'ni'n another, and finally .severethd tlietiebif' l'prodncing units4 of predeterminedlength li'riying reverse folds,- of generalZsliapqd'fo'riiiffhese units` as they are formed. are directed downward on to :i receiving-table,18ndproximity to the sides of which are provided folder blades 19 and 20. The folder blades 19 ,and 250` are arranged upon shafts 21 and 22 respectively, upon the outer ends of which are m'ounted pinions 23, 24. These pinimns 23, 24 are arranged in mesh with the teeth ear segments .25, 26 moun-ted respec' throu h an arcof ninety degrees one after;A the ot er, the movement of each ommenc ing at some time after the impressed or -crcased portion of a unit comes to 'a posi; 'tion opposite it. In Fig. 2 of the drawings .the folder blade- 2O has operated, and is pressing the end leaf of a unit down upqn the pile beneath it, while the folder blade 19 is in an upright position but is about to from the said table 18.

lbe operated as the cam 33 reaches it. Fig. 3 the folder blade 19 has been operated', while the blade 2O is shortly to be operated.

In Fig. 7 the folder blades a shown in the same position as they are s own in Fig. 3, but the cylinders 10 and l1 are ina-somewhat different position, the creasing by the impression blades being in the act of being eiected by a 'male impression 'member ca ried by the cylinder 10, in Fig. 7, while in Fig. 3 such creasing is being effected by the' male member carried by the cylinder Y1.1. -In Fig. 2v a die and cutter 13 and 14 are shown as having just operated. The arrangement and timing of the cams 33, 3.4

is preferably also'such that one 'or other otf. the folder blades 19, 2O will always be in a' horizontal position, and suh blades-will not only perform their function of folding' oyer the leaves ofthe units which have a-lz ready been creased or impressed by the im-4 pression members, but will also operate to. feed the table 18 downward as the ways 3 5. It is'pressed upward with a1 yielding pressure by means of 'a weight or weights 36, connected by means of'a cord or cords 37 to a shaft 38, lthe opposite ends of which carry pinions 39 in enga ement with the teeth of rack bars 40 which' ep'end purpose of so feeding them. These sheets:

ile ofl a single unitl in'its final condition, longi tudinal cutters may be employed to sever the Webs or sheets longitudinal y intostni as they are fed throufrhthe4 machine. n Figs. 1,-2, 3 and 4 suoli cutters 43 are employed indconnection with each of the said cylinders and 11, w-herebythe webs will be thus'severed longitudinally after they'- are fedto the 'cylinders l'1,''l0, butbefore they are operated upon bythe transverse cutters' or -the impression devices. EThe cuttersfare arranged upon','shafts which also carry presser rolls 52 disposed in peripheral con.

tact with the cylinders. 10, 11, and driven by pinions 53 in engagement with the gearingtwhich connects the said cylinders. 'In`- Fig. 7 two-'sets .of feeding rollers 44,45`are' arranged upon one sidepof the machine ,in proximity tothe cylinder 10, in` which case but one cuttin device or set of cutting devices 43-is empgloyed, the saine being mount-v ed immediately above, and adapted toco-act with, the said cylinder'lO.

The operation of the machine is as fol:

lows: Considering the parts as they; are illustratel in Fig.' 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that a set of the ,transverse cutters, 13, 14 have just operated to sever .the webs which have been fed into'the machine by the feedingdevices, and severed longitudinally intostrips by the rotary cutters or slitters 43. A pile of folded units are'onthetable 18, the folder blade 2() at the right hand edge .of t-hesaid units 'restinglupon the .top of the pile, while the last unit has its first leaf interfold'ed with the last leaf of the'preced-- ing unit, the said last unit being shown as -creased or`impressed in two4 placesto form a middle and an end lea-f. Thejfolder ,19 is ina vertical position'ready t`o foldthje mid- 4 dle -leaf ofthe last [unit over upon the pile.

' In Fig.7 the cylinderslO and 11 have gone forward one-sixth of a revolution. The- -right hand' folder 20 has movedu to a ver.-

and the male impressionf member 15 of thecylinder 10 is co-acting with a female'fiinl? pression member ofthe cylinder `11 `t`o make the first crease or impression -in the pmt' now being formed. During the next one-slxth of a revolution of the cylinders -10, 11,'which will bring the parts from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position show'n inF ig. 3, the .folder blades will remain stationary, but as the end of the new unit being formed moves forward with the movement of the cylinders, such end will be fed vdownward against the in ner face of the last leaf of the unit upon the table, whereby, when upon al later movenient, the foldei` blade 2O is operated` not only will the lastleaf of the last unit be folded oyer, but with it will be folded the' first leaf of the unitjust being formed. In Fig. 3 a male impression member' 15 is shown as co-acting with a female impression member 1G carried by the cylinder l0 where-- by to formthe sec'ond or reverse fold in the unit being formed, such unit beingr finally severed when the cylinders move around to a position corresponding to the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2. T o insure proper cutting of the cutter blades 13,1 have provided the cylinder ll with spring elements 4G. which tend to force the paper against the surface of the cylinder l() at the moment the cutting is taking place; and to prevent. the accidental displacement of the units as .they are beinf,r fed down to the table 18, I have provided stationary guides or Supports 47--48 upon either side of the path of movement thereof. s-aid guides' being conveniently disiiosed upon sleeves or thimbles #L9-50, which loosely surround the shafts 27-2S.

In referring to the units of which the packages are formed it will be understood 'that such units may comprise any number of sheets, one', two or more as may be desired. the number` of sheets in cach unit depending upon the number of webs fed inat one time, or the number of sheets contained in a web or webs so fed into'the machine.

lWhat I claim ist' l. Thecombination with means for producing oppositely projectngcreases or impressions in successive units, and for continuously feeding the units so impressed or creased to folder blades, of oscillating folder blades, and means for operating same, said means so timed with relation to the feed of the units as to permit one unit t0 partially overtake the preceding unit, after the latter has left the. creasinglr means, whereby, whenl the terminal leaf of one unit is folded by a folder blade.'the first leaf of the succeeding unit will be interfolded therewith.

2. The combination with rotatably mounted cylinders, and impression means carried thereby for creasing paper fed between the said cylinders, of folder bladesfor operating upon the creased paper as it is received from the cylinders, and means for operating the said blades so timed with relation to the movement of the cylinders as to canse the adjacent ends of creased paper sheets fed from the cylinders to overtake eachother 4before they are folded. wherebv thc said sheet ends will be interfolded when thefoldin'g'is ef" fected.

The combination with rotatably mount` ed cylinders and impression means carried thereby for producing creases which project alternately in opposite directions in paper fed between the said cylinders, of folder blades for operatinT upon the creased paper as it is receivedA irom the cylinders, and means-for operating the said blades so timed with relation to the movement of the cylinders as to cause the adjacent ends of creased paper sheets fed from the cylinders to overtake each other before they are folded, Whereby the said sheet ends will be interfolded when the folding is effected.

.4. rl`he combination' with continuously rotating cylinders, means foi feeding a web between them, impression means carried by the cylinders for 'creasing the web; and means for cutting the web transversely into units, of oscillating'folder blades and means for operating same, the said means so timed with relation to the movement of the cylinders that the unit's are V,caused to overtake each othertoA the extent that a portion'of a succeeding unit is interfolded with the terminal of a preceding unit when the said terminal is operated upon by a said folder blade.

5. The combination with a pair of rotata- ,ble cylinders each provided with one element of a pair ofcutting members, a male impression member and a female impression member, each said member arranged for co-action with a complementary member on the other said cylinder, the said cutting and impression members being all so normally disposed with respect to the-cylinders carrying them that they do not pro]ect beyond the peripheries of the said cylinders, of means for' forcing certain ofthe members beyond the peripherles of the cylinders as they revolve.

6. The combination with `a pair of rotatable cylinders, each provided with one element of a pair of cutting members, a male impression member, and a female impression member, each said member cci-acting with a complementary member on the other said cylinder,l of 4retractile means for normally withdrawing certain of the said members to a normal position with their faces flush with. or below the level of, the peripheries of the cylinders, and stationary cam means for forcing the said members outward for coaction in the rotation of the cylinders as the members of opposite cylinders approach each other.

7. The combination with rotatably mounted cylinders, impression means carried thereby for creasing paper fed between the said cylinders, and transverse cutting elements valso carried by the cylinders for separatii'ig the paper into units. of folder blades for op eratlng upon the creased units as they are received from the cylinders. and means for operating thei said vblades so timed with relation to the'movemenl ofthe cylinders as io cause the adjacent 'ends of units fed from the cylinders to overtake each other before ilu-y are folded. whereby Vthe .said unit ends will be interfoldcd when the folding is eltern-d.

8. The combination with rotatably mounted cylinders, and impression means carried thereby for creasing paper fed between the said cylinders, of folder blades foroperatin'g upon the creased paper as it is received from the cylinders, and cams rotating with the cylinders for operating the said blades, said cams having dwell portions therein, Whereby the operationof the said blades is so timed With relation to the movement of the cylinders as to cause the adjacentends of sheets fed from the cylinders to overtake each other, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination Withl a pair of co-act ing cylinders, transverse utting elements carried by said cylinders, two sets of co-actind-.impression members also carried by said cy inders, means for forcing one element of a pair of cutting members and one member of each ofthe pairs of impression members' table cylinders, of a transverse-cutter carried by e ofthe said cylinders, a co-acting die carriedjby the other said'cylinder, a male impression member. carried by each' said cyllnder, la female impresslonnlember for coaction with the said male impression member also carried by. each said cylinder, and means for forcin the cutter and the male impression mem rs beyond the pe ripheries of their respective cylinders as they revolve and for again retractlng them.

SETH WHEELER. Witnesses WLLUA. WHEELER, SETH WHEELER, 'J r.- 

